Vending machine



C. WALKER VENDING MACHINE Feb. 6, 1934.

Filed Dec. 4, 1929 Patented Feb. 6, 1934 PATENT QFFICE VENDING MACHINE Charles Walker, Knoxville, Tenn.

Application December 4, 1929 I Serial No. 411,533

4 Claims.

My invention consists in new and useful improvements in vending machines and has for its object to provide a machine which is simple in construction, positive in action and one which after having vended a predetermined number of coins, checks or articles cannot be made to operate a second time without inserting a new coin.

A further object of my invention resides in the improved coin chute and coin actuated lock releasing means, whereby the machine will fail to vend unless a coin of the requisite size and denomination is deposited in the coin chute.

With the above and other objects in View which will appear as the description proceeds, my invention consists in the novel features herein set forth, illustratedin the accompanying drawing, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawing in which numerals of like character designate similar parts throughout'the several views,

Fig. 1 is a view of the machine in side elevation with a portion of the wall thereof broken away to illustrate the internal mechanism.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional detail taken on line 2-'-2 of Fig. 1, showing the relative positions of the coin chute and lock releasing means in one form of my invention.

Fig. 3 is a further sectional detail taken on line 33 of Fig. 1, showing the article or check retaining means located adjacent the lower extremity of the magazine.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing a modified form of coin actuated lock releasing mecha 35' nism, and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail showing a still further modification of thisprinciple.

In the drawing, 1 represents the housing of my improved vending machine which may be constructed in any desired shape and of any suitable material, having a chamber 2 for enclosing the working parts, and a compartment 3 for receiving the coins deposited, the latter preferably being provided with a door or the like 4 to facilitate the removal of the coins. 5 represents a vertical tube or magazine located in the forward portion of the chamber 2 for retaining a plurality of stacked checks or articles to be vended, the lower extremity of which terminates a predetermined 50 distance above a transverse platform}; which is adapted to support the stack of, checks or articles as clearly shown in Figs. 1, 3and 4.

In the embodiment of my invention shown in the drawing, I have contemplated a machine for delivering aplurality of coins or checks of lesser denomination for a single coin of larger denomi= nation. For example, the machine will operate to deliver five nickels upon the insertion of a twentyfive cent piece or five pennies upon the insertion of one nickel. Therefore, for the purpose of illustration we will assume that the magazine or tube 5 contains a stack of nickels and that the space between the lower extremity of the tube 5 and the upper surface of the platform 6- is just sufiicient to correspond to the combined thickness of five 5 superposed nickels at the lower end of the stack.

In order to retain these five nickels or checks in place on the platform before delivery, I preferably employ a device of the character shown in Fig. 3 which consists of a projection '7 dependmediately opposite the projection 7 I secure to a suitable support 8 a spring member 9 which is likewise curved to loosely engage the opposite edges of said nickels to prevent their displacement until the vending mechanism is operated as will be hereinafter set forth.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, 10 represents a delivery rodwhich is horizontally mounted in the chamber 2 with its forward end projecting through the front wall of the housing 1 and provided with a handle 11, said rod being retained in sliding engagement with the platform 6 by a suitable guide member 12 carried by said platform. The opposite end of the rod' 10 carries a pivoted lever 13 which is oapable'of a rocking movement aboutv a horizontal axis, one end of said lever forming a dog or latch 14- which is normally re-- tained in engagement with a lock plate 15, by the downward action of the spring 16 secured to the rod 10 The plate 15 is provided with one or more upwardly projecting teeth 1'7 which, when the dog 14 is in engagement with the upper surface of the plate 15, prevent the forward movement of the rod 10 beyond a predetermined distance as will be hereinafter described more in detail.

The opposite extremity of the lever 13 is bent upwardly at a suitable angle and forms a coin engaging arm 18 which normally lies in close proximity to the lower extremity of a coin chute 19. This coin chute 19 leads from a suitable slot 20 in the upper portion of'the housing 1 and as will be best seen from Fig. 2, is arranged at an angle to a vertical line through the housing, and at an oblique angle to the line of movement of the rod 10. The forward face of the chute 19 is open and provided with two longitudinally ex-' tending flanges 21 and 22, the former or lower flange being of slightly greater width than the latter or upper flange, the space between the two flanges being such as to prevent the escape of a coin of the proper denomination and size, through the open face of the chute 19. W

By this structure, when the chute 19 is designed to receive a twenty-five cent piece, if a nickel were deposited in the chute it would descend along the lower edge of the chute in engagement with the flange 21, but due to the lesser diameter of the nickel, its opposite edge would fail to engage the flange 22. Thus if it were attempted to operate the machine by pulling outwardly on the rod' 10, the coin engaging arm 18 would tilt the nickel forwardly and kick it out of the chute without actuating the lock releasing. mechanism.

However, upon the insertion of a twenty-five piece in the chute 19, the edges of the coin will engage both flanges 21 and 22 and rest upon the coin engaging arm 18. Thus when the rod 10 is pulled outwardly, the coin will act as an abutment for the arm 18 and cause the lever 13 to rock upon its pivot, releasing the latch 14 from engagement with the tooth 1'7, thereby permitting the rod 10 to be withdrawn to its extreme outward position. i Q

5 Intermediate the ends of the rod 10 and immediately adjacent the rear portion of the'magazine or tube 5 I provide a plunger 23 which is operatively connected to the rod 10 and adapted to reciprocate therewith. As will be seen from Fig. 3, this plunger is adapted to move between the spring 9 and extension 7 to force the five lowermost nickels or checks resting upon the platform 6, forwardly upon the forward movement of the rod 10, whereupon they are pushed off of the platform 6 and dropped into the delivery chute 24. The rod 10 is returned to normal position by a suitable spring 25.

. When the rod 10 is returned to its normal position by the spring 25, the dog 14 rises up over the tooth 17 and is again forced into contact with the plate 15 by the spring 16.

It will be noted that the location of the tooth 1''! on the plate 15 is such, with respect to the dog 14 and the plunger 23, that it would be impossible for the operator to vend a. second time without the insertion of a second coin, inasmuch as the dog 14 engages behind the tooth 17 just prior to the time when the plunger 23 assumes a position behind the stack of exposed coins to be delivered.

The modification shown in Fig. 4 is primarily the same as that just described with the exception of the structure and location of the coin chute. In this instance, the coin chute 19a is not arranged at an oblique angle with respect to the rod 10 but on a line parallel thereto, and the side walls of said chute are both closed. The forward edge of the lower extremity of this chute is provided with a projection 26 and instead of the coin engaging arm 18 shown in'F-ig. 1, the lever 13 is provided with a curved or arc-shaped supporting arm 18a, whereby when the rod 10 is pulled forwardly, a coin in the chute 19a resting upon the supporting arm 18a will engage the projection 26 and rock the lever 13 on its pivot causing the dog 14 to disengage the tooth 17.

As in the former structure, the lock releasing mechanism will fail to operate if a coin of less diameter is inserted in the chute 19a, for when it descends onto the coin supporting arm 18a, it will fall off, since the diameter of the coin is less than the vertical distance between the coin supporting arm 18 and the lower extremity of the sides of the chute 19a.

It will also be noted that the spring 25a for returning the rod 10 to its normal position is located at the inner end of the rod and connected tothe projection 26 instead of the arrangement shown in Fig. 1. 1

Fig. 5 shows a still further modification of lock releasing mechanism wherein the lever 13a is arranged to rock about a vertical axis instead of a horizontal axis. In this form of my invention, I employ an angularly disposed chute 191) similar to the chute 19 in Figs. 1 and 2, the upper longitudinal edge of said chute being provided with one or more transverse notches 27 through which the bifurcated end of the lever; 13a is adapted to pass. 7 If there be a coin of the proper diameter in the chute 1919, the bifurcated end 28 will engage the coin upon the forward movement of the rod 10, and the lever 13 will swing on its pivot in the direction of the arrows until the dog 14 at the opposite end thereof has cleared .the tooth 17 on the lock plate '15. The rod 10 'is then free to move forwardly to its extreme position as in the other forms of the invention.

In this modification, the rod 10 is provided with a laterally extending wing 29 which supports the coin in the chute 19b, until it has served its purpose, said wing moving forwardly with the rod 10. After the lock releasing mechanism has functioned, the continued forward movement of I. j

the rod 10 in delivering the stacked coins, checks or articles, causes the wing 29 to release the actuating coin in chute 192) from whence it drops into the compartment 3, and when the rod is returned to normal position, the wing 29 again assumesits supporting location at the lower extremity of the chute 19b. Obviously, if the mechanism is attempted to be operated without the insertion of a coin in chute 1912, the bifurcated end 28 on the lever 13a will pass freely through the unobstructed transverse notches 27 until the dog 14 engages the tooth 1'? which will prevent the complete forward movement of. the rod 10.

As in the form of my invention shown in Figs. 1 and 2, if a coin of smaller diameter than that required to operate the mechanism is inserted in chute 1912, the angular position of the chute will cause said coin to ride in the lowermost flange 21, and when the rod 10 is pulled forwardly, such coin will be tilted out of the chute without causing the operation of the machine.

Obviously by employing the basic principle of my invention, a machine may be constructed which will serve both as a change making machine and an article vending machine by installing a series of units especially designed to suit conditions, yet operating on the same principle illustrated and described in the foregoing specification and accompanying drawing.

From the above it is believed. that my invention may be readily understood by those skilled in the art without further description, it being borne in mind that numerous changes may be made in the details disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the following claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:--

1. In a vending machine of the type described, coin controlled latch mechanism comits prising a delivery rod, a lever pivoted transversely on said rod, one end of said lever forming a latch, a lug for engaging said latch, the other end of said lever forming a coin engaging arm, a coin chute terminating adjacent said delivery rod and provided with a transverse notch through which said coin engaging arm is adapted to pass freely in the absence of a coin from said chute, a wing carried by said delivery rod which is normally adapted to support a coin in the lower extremity of said chute, whereby when a selected coin is disposed in the lower extremity of said chute, it will obstruct the transverse notch therein, and upon the forward movement of said delivery rod, said coin will abut the coin engaging arm of said lever and rock the same on its pivot to release the latch.

2. In a vending machine, a coin released looking mechanism comprising a detent pivotally mounted on a movable delivery member, said detent having a coin engaging arm and a locking arm, a stationary stop member lying in the line of movement of said locking arm, an inclined coin chute terminating at its outlet end adjacent said coin engaging arm, one side Wall of said chute being provided with a longitudinal- 1y extending opening adjacent said outlet end, inwardly projecting flanges arranged at the opposite lateral edges of said opening to form upper and lower channels, the inclination of said chute being at such an angle that a coin inserted therein will be caused by gravity to ride in contact with the lower channel, said flanges being or" sufiicient width to engage the opposite edges of a selected coin, but of insufiicient width to engage both edges of a coin of less diameter, the forward movement of said delivery member causing said coin engaging arm to abut a selected coin deposited in said chute and rock said detent, releasing the locking arm, a coin of less diameter, upon such forward movement, being tilted out through said opening by the contact of said coin engaging arm, without rocking the detent.

3. In a vending machine of the type described, coin controlled latch mechanism comprising a delivery rod, a lever pivoted transversely on said rod, one end of said lever forming a latch, a stationary lug for engaging said latch, the other end of said lever forming a coin engaging arm, a coin chute terminating adjacent said last named arm and provided with a transverse notch, said coin engaging arm being adapted to pass freely through said notch in the absence of a coin from said chute, said notch being so located that when a coin is deposited in the chute, said coin will obstruct the notch and upon the forward movement of said delivery rod, said coin will abut the coin engaging arm of the lever and rock the same on its pivot to release the latch.

4. A coin controlled latch mechanism as claimed in claim 3 wherein said chute is inclined and one of the side walls thereof is provided with a longitudinally extending opening, 100 inwardly projecting flanges arranged at the ope posite lateral edges of said opening to form upper and lower channels, said flanges being of sufficient width to engage the opposite edges of a selected coin deposited in said chute, but of in- 105 sufficient width to engage both edges of a coin of less diameter, whereby when a coin of less diameter is deposited in said chute, said coin will ride in the lower channel out of contact with the upper channel and will be tilted out 1 through the opening by the movement of said coin engaging arm through said notch.

CHAS. WALKER. 

